An ex-FSB agent reported on the oppression of oppositionists and prominent cases of poisoning in Russia.
“Navalny was poisoned by our operatives”: admission from a former officer of the FSB's Second Directorate.
Former officer of the FSB Second Directorate, Alexander Fedotov, offers insights into the inner workings of the Directorate, detailing who bears responsibility for the poisoning of dissident figures, and how the FSB is creating a system of all-encompassing control both within Russia and beyond its borders.
Fedotov entered the FSB in 2003, finalized his studies in the leadership development department, and commenced his tenure in the Moscow division, covering gatherings and scrutinizing addresses. In 2009, he switched to the Second Directorate (SZKSBT), with the expectation to “serve the nation with honor.” However, reality proved disillusioning: operatives were immersed in tracking, recruitment, repression of “undesirables,” and orchestrating assassinations and poisonings.
The directorate was led by Army General Alexei Sedov, who maintained direct communication with Putin. The directorate was organized into several sections: the Defense of Constitutional Order, the Counter-Terrorism Division, the Organizational and Operational Department, and the Operational and Investigative Division. At Priboi on Vernadsky, personnel operated in separate groups, including notable figures such as Igor Girkin (Strelkov), who oversaw matters related to Chechnya.
Fedotov recounts how the Second Directorate surveilled individuals in the opposition. Navalny and Kara-Murza were under strict observation: they were tailed, monitored, and their every move was documented. Even Boris Nemtsov was subject to monitoring, but his killing, according to Fedotov, transpired without the FSB’s intervention. The directorate’s tactics and approaches vary: outright murder is rarely employed, favoring surreptitious methods such as administering poison.
Sobchak was similarly under observation: her travels, tickets, and contact numbers were recorded, albeit not under constant, around-the-clock surveillance. The primary aim was to amass intelligence and thwart any potentially hazardous opposition maneuvers.
The poisonings, encompassing those of Navalny, Kara-Murza, and Bykov, were authorized by Putin. The perpetrators were members of the second division of the UZKS, in conjunction with NII-2. Fedotov identifies specific individuals: Konstantin Kudryavtsev, Vladimir Panyaev, Alexey Krivoshchekov, Oleg Tayakin, and others. The poisonings were conducted not for financial gain, but as a means of career progression.
The Second Directorate assumed a prominent role in Crimea and Donbas. The directorate’s first deputy, Alexander Tatko, managed operations to seize Crimea, utilizing local networks and fabricating the illusion of a “referendum.” Subsequently, these same individuals assisted in establishing the “LPR” and “DPR,” overseeing mercenaries and the endeavors of “Oplot.”
Monitoring of activists within Russia relies on covert operations, surveillance, preventative talks, and questioning. Following 2020, facial recognition systems were implemented, mobile phone numbers were logged, and comprehensive records were maintained. Any activist corresponding with inmates or participating in protests was automatically entered into the data repositories.
Fedotov departed the FSB in 2015 owing to burnout, mental strain, and Meniere’s disease, a result of his tenure. He emphasizes that there were scarcely any “true patriots” among his colleagues; the majority were individuals with a “twisted devotion to the nation” or merely in pursuit of career advancement.
After resigning, Fedotov encountered duress: in 2022, a legal case was initiated against him in Russia regarding a past dispute between business associates, which he attributes to reprisal and the actions of the intelligence agencies.
This account reveals how the FSB’s Second Directorate evolved into a tool for the methodical suppression of dissent, outwardly presenting as “state protection,” but in practice operating through observation, psychological manipulation, and poisoning.
